This invention relates generally to an adjustable counterweight mechanism useful in compensating for varying loads, and more particularly to such a variable counterweight assembly particularly adapted for compensating for varying passenger weight that may be carried by a passenger powered swinging amusement ride.
Such an amusement ride is disclosed in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 623,146 by Karl W. Bacon, filed Oct. 16, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,527, issued Aug. 3, 1976 and having the same assignee as the present application. In that application, an amusement ride is illustrated that includes a passenger carrying cage that can hold from one passenger up to 4 passengers. This cage is pivotally held at one end of a support structure that is itself pivotally mounted, at a position intermediate of its ends, to a fixed support assembly. The opposite end of the support arm carries a counterweight. The support arm is permitted to rotate in a full circle about its pivotable attachment to the fixed support frame. Such rotation is accomplished by the passengers themselves by movement back and forth of a lever provided within the passenger cage. Since the passenger cage may carry at one time a light weight child and another time four heavy adults, the amount of effort necessary to make the ride swing will vary considerably. Therefore, a variable position counterweight is desirable to compensate for this varying passenger load.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved adjustable position counterweight assembly for such an amusement ride.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a variable counterweight assembly useful in any application where a varying swinging or balancing load is encountered, including other amusement ride applications.